The present disclosure relates to networking and, more particularly, to forming a composite network of independent constituent networks treated as point-to-point data links, described as a Network of Networks (NoN).
Many networks, particularly tactical networks, are disconnected from other networks or points with which data might need to be exchanged. For example, the lack of connection may be due to variation in architecture, signaling structure, or internal format. In these cases, communication between networks may be impossible or may require manual intervention. As a result, networks may be unable to communicate data to desired locations in an efficient and timely manner.
Gatewaying is a technique that can be employed to connect otherwise dissimilar networks. Gateways are normally one-to-one interfaces that perform one or a combination of functions to include signaling conversion, format conversion, or other “bridging” functions. For complex networks, however, a complex gateway architecture is required. In a prior attempted solution, an aerial gateway Battlefield Aerial Communications Node was established to provide a centralized (i.e., hub-and-spoke) switchboard for transferring data between networks. This solution, however, is neither survivable nor scalable.